


my monster, come to find me

by titaniaeli



Category: To Kill a Kingdom
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Drowning, F/M, Gen, Monstrous Mermaids, Murder, Possessive Behavior, Sirens
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-18
Updated: 2020-03-20
Packaged: 2021-02-28 16:48:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23200456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/titaniaeli/pseuds/titaniaeli
Summary: Everyone has heard of the new Sea Queen and her quest to foster better relations with humans. Not many people know about her fondness for the human prince who has stolen her heart. If they did, they probably wouldn’t dare to touch what’s hers.
Relationships: Elian/Lira
Comments: 21
Kudos: 49
Collections: favorite on TKAK





	1. Chapter 1

Captured.

It’s not Elian’s first time. There were a lot of people out there who’s always looking to cut him open and check if his blood was really made out of gold.

It’s also not quite as often as most people think. The crew was notoriously protective of their captain. They seldom let him out of their sight, unless they were docked in Midas. So, it’s a surprise that anyone had managed to steal him from under the crew’s noses, especially from Torik’s hawk eyes.

He mostly cursed the fact that he had let down his guard. Peace had made him complacent.

It has been a while since he had to hunt and kill a siren, and his skills have grown rusty. With all the recent peace discussions and new trades, the _Saad_ seldom run into trouble anymore.

Of course, not having to spend your days chasing after man-eating sirens also lengthened one’s lifespan. Instead of hunting sirens, the crew spent their time adventuring and partying at every island.

He was shaken out of his thoughts when he was backhanded across his face. He bit back a gasp, refusing to give his captors any satisfaction of hearing his pain. He threw the man in front of him a venomous glare, wishing that his hands were free so he could disembowel his tormentor and burn down this filthy ship. Instead, all he could do was settled for a sharp kick at the man’s shin.

“Son of a bitch!” The man howled, staggering in pain.

 _Slavers_. The worst sort of humans out there. Just his absurd luck to run into them.

“Don’t call my mother a bitch _._ ” He said icily.

The slavers would be salivating if they ever discovered his true identity as Prince of Midas, but he would hear _no_ insults to Queen Hasina.

Grimy fingers pawed into his dark hair, wrenching his head back roughly. He was faced by another slaver, this time with a fouler breath and squinter eyes than the first.

“Watch ya mouth, boy.” The threat was snarled in his face. He wrinkled his nose and tried to turn his face away. _What the hell crawled into this man’s mouth and died?_

“He’s not worth the effort, Grenn.” The first man hissed. “Throw him overboard and feed him to the fishes. Where didja get this boy from?”

“Yeren snatched him off Corvus.” The second slaver gripped his chin and studied him intently. “Looks healthy. Strong.”

His grip slackened and Elian seized the opportunity to headbutt him. The impact split the skin on his forehead, but the resulting yell was worth it.

His defiance was not without any consequences.

His punishment was swift and merciless, and when the two slavers were done venting their anger on him, he was trembling and hanging from the manacles, spitting out blood. And a tooth, he noticed with a grimace.

“We’re passing the Black Sea soon.” Grenn sneered. “Let the mermaids have him.”

For the first time since his capture, Elian felt fear. Any sailor who sailed these waters know about the Black Sea. Just as the seas of Diavolos belonged to the sirens and the Sea Queen, the Black Sea was the mermaids’ kingdom.

Though, to call it a kingdom was just a nicer way to call the saltwater ocean of skeletons. The Black Sea was infested with monstrous mermaids, destroyed ships and rotting bones decorating the seabed. Lesser beings they might be, less intelligent and far more feral than sirens, but stranger than their stronger cousins, even the Black Sea was untouchable to the Sea Queen.

There was a peculiar magic that stole the Sea Queen’s sight on the Black Sea.

Men who wished to sail across the Black Sea safely needs to pay a toll. Usually, the toll comes in the form of a human sacrifice.

It’s the price to pay for crossing the Black Sea. It was not without any risk, of course. The mermaids might choose to go after the ship instead of the prey in the water.

The _Saad_ might be one of the fastest ships on these dangerous waters, but the slave ship had gained a head start. Once they reached the Black Sea, he would be out of his crew’s reach.

He would be out of Lira’s reach.

* * *

The Black Sea was the opposite of Diavolos.

Whereas Diavolos was a never-ending stretch of sapphire waters, clear and bright under the sunlight, the waters of the Black Sea held no light nor life.

As the cargo ship sailed over the silent surface, Elian could hear no bird cry, not even a whisper of the wind. Although he knew it was only noon, the sky loomed dark and eerie above his head.

He ignored the hungry stares and mocking sneers and walked with his head high. He was a pirate, free and fierce, not a slave walking to his execution. His limbs might shake from pain and exhaustion, but he refused to let his captors see it on his face.

He hurt everywhere, but pride kept him standing. If he was going to be made to walk the plank, he was going to do it on his own terms, not be thrown overboard like a sack of meat.

Despite the eerie stillness of the waters, the deck still swayed under his feet. He nearly stumbled and tripped as he was shoved onto the plank. The butt of a sword slammed into his back, sending sparks of pain up his spine. Someone else grabbed his upper arm and almost tossed him over the rail.

“Watch it!” He snapped.

“Start walking.” Grenn ordered, his small eyes gleaming like beetles in the shadow of his hair.

It was difficult to balance without use of both his arms, since they were tied behind his back, but he managed without slipping off the crumbling plank.

Beneath his feet, the plank creaked dangerously. The black waters rippled under him, the first sign of movement.

His heart started to race in his chest.

“We’ll sail at full speed once he’s in the water.” Grenn commanded.

And that’s when he slipped.

He barely managed to hold his breath before his body hit the water with a thunderous splash. The coldness was like a knife stab, and he released his breath in shock. He immediately swallowed a mouthful of icy water.

He struggled violently, madness rushing through his veins, trying to loosen the ropes around his wrists. His legs flailed in panic as he sank like a stone. Everywhere around him, it was too dark, like ink spill across his vision. He could sense movements in the water, hisses and growls that was entirely inhuman. Coming closer.

Surrounding him.

He glimpsed a pair of luminous eyes in the darkness, right before claws swiped across his stomach. He couldn’t hold his breath any longer, his screams vanishing into the void as he continued to sink.

 _“Golden prince, sea’s heart,”_ a ghastly voice sang in his ear. _“Take your heart and become gold.”_

He was going to die.

There was something else amongst the mermaids. Huge and sinuous and full of sharp edges, with hair like black smoke, she seemed to blend seamlessly into the shadows of the waters.

He knew that mermaids come in all shapes and sizes. Has killed a few during his siren-hunts.

None has grown as large as the ones that prowled the Black Sea. None as bloodthirsty and hungry.

Suddenly, there was teeth in his right shoulder, and then pain exploded across his senses.

He was in utter agony, no longer struggling, no longer fighting. The cold had stolen his body from him. He has no more strength.

_Lira—_

The Black Sea burned.


	2. Chapter 2

Before the _Saad_ could sail straight into the Black Sea, the sea started to froth violently. A small wave pushed the ship back, throwing everyone off their feet.

The water swelled in front of them. Larger and larger, until it was looming over the ship. Hair like hellfire seemed to blaze under the glare of the sunlight, ebony tentacles spreading across the seabed.

Like an avenging goddess, with her tentacles wrapped around the hull, the ship shuddered and protested as she climbed on. The tentacles shrunk and became human legs, and her eyes no longer glowed like bonfire.

Madrid let loose a breath of relief, only to suck in a startled and horrified gasp when she spotted her captain in Lira’s arms.

“Captain!” She cried, dashing forward. She nearly faltered at the look on Lira’s face, but loyalty made her pushed past her fear.

“What happened to him?” Kye growled.

No one answered him, but they didn’t need to. He already knew what happened. He has fought against mermaids before.

Elian looked half-mauled, his dark skin ghostly pale and stained with crimson. His breaths came out in short, sharp wheezes, his hair plastered wetly against his bruised skull. His lips were blue from the cold, cracked and bleeding.

Kye averted his gaze from the weeping wound on his captain’s shoulder, fury and horror filling his heart.

“Take him.” Lira ordered. _“Save him.”_

Her expression was furious, bicolored eyes slitted and inhuman despite her human form. With her teeth bared, she couldn’t hide the monster under her skin.

He might have distrusted and disliked her in the beginning, but he has never feared her. She was a monster only to her enemies, never Elian. She has given the golden prince her heart freely.

If Elian dies, Lira will tear the world asunder.

Kye would be right there beside her.

Turning away, she melted into the sea, wine dark hair shining in the darkness as she swept into the Black Sea.

There would be no mercy, not for the mermaids or the slavers who stole her heart.

* * *

Elian was no stranger to pain.

Hunting sirens was a trial and error in the beginning. They were ruthless creatures, and vicious when cornered. They would fight even harder if they knew their deaths were coming.

Still, it has been a long time since he has gotten hurt this badly.

He came awake with a strangled scream, the last lingering images of dark scales and incandescent eyes and ivory teeth breaking his bones and sinking, sinking, _drowning._ He shivered and coughed wetly; the back of his hand pressed tight against his eyes. His body felt flushed under his thin shirt, his skin pulled tight across his bruised ribcage.

“Breathe, Cap.” Kye’s voice slowly guided him back from the endless dark sea and mermaids in his nightmares. “You’re safe now.”

He breathed hard, blunt nails digging into his palms. He was on the _Saad_. He was in his bed.

The ship rocked under his body, and he felt another shudder spasmed through him. The sea shouldn’t terrify him this much.

The sea was never his enemy.

But the Black Sea was an anomaly. There was a curse on those dark waters.

The sea might be a cruel mistress, relentless and unforgiving, but it was generous as well. The Black Sea simply takes.

The sea was Lira.

“Lira,” he gasped. “Where’s Lira?”

Kye’s wide eyes looked frightened as he struggled to get out of bed. His whole body was in agony, but adrenaline was an amazing thing.

“Quit it, Cap!” Kye yelled.

The door burst open, and a gust of cold wind sent him rushing back under the blankets. Lira’s silhouette at the doorway was a darkly ominous and chilling sight, but only for a moment. She stepped into the room, and her visage was a poorly masked attempt at flippancy.

“ _Lira._ ” To his embarrassment, his voice broke in relief and joy. He saw her barely a week ago, but it felt like _months_ since he has her in his arms.

Her composure fell apart swiftly, and she darted right into his open arms.

Kye quietly left the room, closing the door behind him.

“Elian,” she whispered into his mouth, her arms crushing him desperately into the bed. He returned her fervour, wrapping his arms around her and digging his nails into her back. He could feel the light ripple of back muscles under her shirt, the faint ridges of scars leftover from her battle with the old Sea Queen.

Her kiss consumed him, chased away the lingering fear burrowed in between his bones. He reciprocated with equal ferocity, a moan in his throat as she marked the skin up his neck.

“Don’t ever do that to me again.” She said angrily. The dampness in her eyes softened the sharpness of her tone.

“Not exactly my choice.” He rasped.

“They aren’t going to touch you again.” Lira promised.

He wondered if she meant the slavers or the mermaids, or maybe both. Maybe he hadn’t been seeing things before the pain had caused him to lose consciousness. Maybe the Sea Queen had really razed and burned the Black Sea hollow in her fury, the storm howling loud enough to devour the terrified shrieks of dying mermaids.

Maybe he’s in love with a monster.

Then what does it mean for him, loving a monster?

“Thank you for coming for me.” He swallowed. He had been so close to death. So close to dying in waters that Lira couldn’t touch. “I thought the Black Sea blocked your power.”

“Never.” She said. “I will always find you.”

“Does this mean you’re going to stay longer this time?” He asked.

The savagery in her eyes vanished as she rolled them. He understands her duties as the Sea Queen; funny how long he’d spent running from kinghood only to end up falling in love with a Queen. Even more ironic that he had not betrayed his beliefs of loving the sea and no one else. What better match could there be for him, other than the woman who ruled the sea? 

Even if she’s a monster.

Even if he’s a monster for loving her.

“I’m never far from you.” She smiled in amusement. The ship rocked unsteadily, as if to affirm her words. “But, yes, I suppose I can stay a little longer this time. Who knows what other trouble you’ll get into before you can recover?”

He wrinkled his nose in offense, but couldn’t deny her words. He was a terrible patient, always eager to leave the bed way before the medic even declared him fit enough. Kye had once hogtied him to the bed while he was recuperating from a concussion.

“Hm,” he lowered his voice, shifting his body so he’s lying on top instead. “Then you better entertain me before I run after further trouble.”

“Insolent pirate.” She huffed, but she’s smirking widely.

“Insufferable siren.” He retorted.

“Really _original._ ” She said sarcastically.

He leaned down and swallowed any further words from her lips.


End file.
